Ivy's Selfishness

*Alec's POV*

"There's too much water in her lungs." The doctor said. "Thankfully, she's past the critical stage. Kailangan nalang natin siya hintaying magising."

"Gigising parin naman po siya diba?"

"We've done everything that we could but you still need to prepare for the worst that can happen." Sagot niya kay Charm tsaka tumingin sa'kin. "You mentioned Dra. Suarez earlier, right?"

I nodded. "She's her doctor."

"Schedule a meeting with her, Dani." He told the nurse. "I need to discuss something with her pagdating niya."

"Yes, Doc."

"Please excuse me." Sabi niya. "I have other patients to attend to."

"Thank you."

They were able to bring her to the hospital after what happened.

"Bessy.."

"She couldn't even swim.." Sabi ko. "Bakit siya mapupunta dun?"

Theia would never go close to large bodies of water by herself dahil hindi siya marunong lumangoy.

We almost lost her. Again.

Hanggang kailan ba niya mararanasan yung ganito??

"YOU!" Charm stood up and went to him. "What did you do to her, Nathan??! Ikaw ang kasama niya!"

"..."

"You heard what Kuya said." She said. "Anong nangyari??! Bakit siya nandun???"

Nathan didn't answer.

"Say something!!! PLEASE!!" Sigaw niya. "W-we trusted you, tapos hahayaan mo lang na mangyari sa kanya 'to??!"

"Charm, calm down.."

I tried to hold her but she kept on hitting him.

He wasn't moving.

Ni hindi niya pinipigilan si Charm sa ginagawa niya.

"Iwan mo muna kami, James."

"Y-you promised us.." She cried. "W-what did you tell her before?? Aalagaan? Iingatan? Ano pa bang pangako yung hindi mo tinupad ha?!"

"Charm, ano ba!" I said. "There's no point in blaming him! He saved her, okay??"

"Saved her??? Are you kidding me, Kuya??" Sabi niya. "Nang dahil sa kanya, muntik na mawala sa'tin si Theia!"

I looked at him. "Please."

Yun lang yung paraan para tumigil si Charm.

"I'm sorry, Kuya."

He started to walk away.

"Sana hindi ka nalang niya nakilala."

Nathan didn't stopped but I was sure he heard her.

***

"Charm, I think you need to go home."

"But I want to stay.."

"You should rest." I told her. "Pumunta ka agad dito pagkagaling sa Tagaytay diba?"

"Pero--"

"Bumalik ka nalang bukas. Wala na naman kayong klase diba?"

"Paano ka, Kuya?"

"I'll sleep here." Sagot ko. "Papakuha nalang ako kay Kuya Rod ng damit para pag sundo niya sa'yo, may pamalit na ko."

"Are you sure?"

I nodded.

"Can you stay in your house for now?" Tanong ko. "Umuwi kasi si Manang. Ayaw ko namang mag-isa ka lang sa bahay."

"Sure." Sagot niya. "Babalik ako agad bukas ng umaga."

"Thank you, Charm."

She stood up and stared at Theia.

"She'll wake up soon, right..?"

"Of course. Malakas siya."

"She is."

"And we need to be strong for her as well, Charm."

******

*Gabriel's POV*

"Sir, I've sent the video you asked for."

"Thank you, Silvia."

It's almost midnight.

Charm and Courts were missing.

Tsaka ko lang nalaman yung nangyari kanina nung pinuntahan ako ni Steve, one of our staff. May nalunod daw sa pool kanina at dinala sa ospital.

If I didn't call Kuya, I wouldn't know that it was her.

Something's not right.

Courts can't swim kay imposibleng tumalon siya. I needed to know what happened so I asked Silvia for a copy of the cctv footage.

I forwarded the video until Courts appeared.

She sat on the edge of the pool, dangling her feet in the water.

Paano siya nalunod?

It's impossible to drown that way.

I was skipping the video again when I heard some knock. I pressed play and looked up.

"Gab."

"Ivy."

She awkwardly went inside my office.

"I need your help." Sabi niya. "I can't contact Nathan at all."

"Umalis siya."

"Umalis??"

"He's with Charm---"

I stopped.

Someone else appeared on the screen.

I even replayed the video to make sure na tama ako ng nakita.

"Charm??"

I closed my laptop and stared at her.

"And Theia."

I was watching her reaction.

It took a while bago siya nakapagsalita ulit.

"G-ganun ba? I guess t-that's fine."

Tumayo na ko. "Aren't you going to ask kung saan sila nagpunta?"

"H-hindi na." She tried to smile. "Mukhang naabala kita. Aalis na k-ko.."

She was about to leave when I spoke.

"Why don't you stay?" I went to the couch and sat. "Please sit."

Hindi siya pwedeng umalis.

Not after what I saw.

Sumunod naman siya at umupo sa tapat ko.

"Have you heard the news?" I asked her. "May nalunod daw sa pool kanina."

"R-really?"

Tumango ako. "A staff told me about it. Dinala na daw siya sa ospital."

Hindi siya nagsasalita so I continued.

"I called a family member earlier to ask about her condition." Sabi ko. "Nasa operating room parin daw siya hanggang ngayon."

"..."

Hindi parin ba niya aaminin??

"A-ano.." I took a deep breath. "Anong ginawa mo??"

Her eyes widened while looking at me.

"You really think that I wouldn't know--???"

"Gab, listen to me.."

"WHY SHOULD I??" I asked. "Are you going to make excuses again?!"

"Gab, I can explain--"

"I have proof, Ivy!" Sabi ko. "The cctv camera caught you tapos balak mo parin magsinungaling sa'kin?!"

I couldn't hold it in.

Galit na galit ako.

"Oo, ako yung may kasalanan!" She shouted. "Ano masaya ka na??"

"MASAYA??" I faked a laugh. "SA TINGIN MO BA DAPAT AKO MATUWA DAHIL NAGSABI KA LANG NG TOTOO?!"

"..."

Naluluha ako. "H-how could you?? Tao ka rin naman pero paano mo nagawa yun sa kanya???"

I couldn't forget what I just saw on the video..

Siya yung dahilan kung bakit nalunod si Courts.

She pushed her..

Hindi ko yun matanggap.

"Is this the love you wanted??" I asked. "Bahala na kung anong mangyari?? Magkamatayan na basta mapasayo lang si Nathan?!"

"I didn't know she'll drown--"

"Don't even think about lying! You pushed her hoping that she will!"

I hate it when she makes excuses!

Hanggang kailan ba siya magiging ganito??

"Well, guess what? You won." I said. "She's critical and they don't even know kung gigising pa siya."

"..."

She looked down.

"She's sick, Ivy.."

Napatingin siya sa'kin.

I can see confusion in her face.

"W-what..?"

"She's dying." Sagot ko. "At dahil sa'yo, mukhang mas maaga pa niya kaming iiwan.."

Tumulo rin yung luha na kanina ko pa pinipigilan.

"Gab, I-I'm sorry.." Sabi niya. "H-hindi ko naman alam na may s-sakit siya.."

"Bakit kapag nalaman mo ba, may magbabago? Will that even stop you??"

"I j-just love him so much, Teddy.." Umiiyak rin siya. "Ayaw ko lang siya mawala--"

"Then how far will you go for that love??!"

"..."

She can even put someone's life in danger just to have him back??

Anong klaseng pagmamahal ba yung gusto niya???

"You've changed, Ivy. You became too selfish." I said. "Pati yung pagmamahal na hindi naman dapat sa'yo, nagawa mong agawin!"

She wasn't the same person I met before..

My childhood friend was gone the moment she decided to take Nathan.

"What will it take to make you stop?? Buhay ni Courts??"

"I'm s-sorry..."

"Sorry rin pero hinding hindi kita mapapatawad." I stood up to leave. "Kailangan mo pagsisihan yung ginawa mo."

"K-kaibigan parin naman kita d-diba..?"

I stopped walking.

"Our friendship depends on Courts now." Sagot ko. "If she wakes up, I'll think about it."

"Gab--"

"But if she doesn't, please make sure that I won't ever see you again. Kasi hindi ko alam kung anong magagawa ko sa'yo.."

******